Leader of the Pack
by Cynlee
Summary: Leo's brothers get a taste of what Splinter considers leadership. Not for the faint of heart okay, that part is not true, but it sounds exciting, huh?
1. Chapter 1

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Hi, it's me again-- this place is addictive! I have had a nice time putting my stuff up, and I have appreciated all the reviews you have ben so kind to send my way-- and forgive me that I don't thank you all in this opening the way better-mannered writers here do. But Many Many thanks!

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Oh, yeah-- TMNT are owned, operated, and carefully guarded by Mirage. That goes for Casey, April, and any other characters who might show up in this little exercise, like a guardian or a familiar type of bad guy. You have been warned.

**Mikey: How can a skilled Ninja who has fought, survived, and defeated the Shredder, the Elite Foot Guard, Hun, tons of Foot Ninja, multitudes of Triceratons, Bishop, the Federation, the Purple Dragons, the Ultimate Ninja, the...**

**Raph: Mikey, they get the idea!**

**Mikey: Okay... I'm just saying, how can such a skilled Ninja get so hurt on one little toy?**

**Don: Perhaps because his brother, and not his enemy, is the one to cause the accident in the first place?**

**All: Let us tell you a story.**

"Leader of the Pack"

**Raph: Master Splinter was training us as usual. We were demonstrating our skills, coordination, and concentration. Well, all except Mikey.**

**Mikey: Well, it was boring waiting for my turn!**

**Don: We were all excellent-- but Leo was particularly skilled this day. He managed to navigate the entire obstacle course that Master Splinter had designed without one mistake.**

"Man, this is the worst Sensei has ever created," Raph says to Don.

"You said it! I wonder if he's really training us, or if we're being punished for something we've done lately."

"Concentration!" Splinter sternly reprimands the two, and they once again make their way through the increasingly difficult course, as Splinter varies his attacks and weapons used.

"Donatello! You must focus on the possibilities as well as the actual dangers!" as Don is taken by surprise by a flying bag of flour, causing him to fall to the floor from the high beam he was crossing, covered in white.

"Raphael, nicely done, but be alert to potential traps!" he both commends and reprimands Raph, as he skillfully engages the hand-to-hand attack of his Sensei, yet manages to step on the spot of the beam that Splinter had rigged to collapse at a moment's notice.

"Michelangelo! Put that toy car away and get ready for your turn!" he shouts as Mikey is playing with his latest toy-- a mini-remote control racer.

"Aww... how much longer are we gonna have to be knocked off that beam, anyway?" he grumbles, and then he successfully maneuvers the course, dodging the flour bag, deflecting the weapons and other objects thrown at him, and landing on his feet after making a rather showy flip through the air to avoid the final attack of his Sensei.

"Leonardo, this time with the blindfold!"

**Don: And Leonardo, blindfolded, showed why he was the most skilled at this particular exercise.**

"Showed up once again by Fearless Leader," Raph grumbles to Don, who nods in agreement.

"How come we don't get to try blindfolded?" Don asks Sensei.

"Because you are not ready. Because you are not willing," Splinter says mysteriously.

"But Sensei, what makes you think we're not willing?" Raph asks, as they watch Leo dismount the beam and remove the blindfold.

For an answer, Splinter points to Mikey playing once again with his toy car.

"Well, yeah, but that's Mikey!" protests Don. "Raph and I are willing!"

"It's like you think Leo is the only one who can do this stuff, just like you think Leo is the only one who can be leader," Raph says, frowning. "It's favoritism. I thought you said you treated us all the same."

**Raph: Now Master Splinter is nothing if not fair, so he seriously considered what I'd just said. **

"Yes, perhaps I have been rather unfair in your training," he concedes. "Perhaps I have been unfairly judging you all. Very well, which of you wishes to go first?"

"Me! Me! Me!" Mikey suddenly shouts, grabbing the blindfold from Leo and racing to the starting point.

"Did he even appear to be listening?" Don says to Raph.

"Leonardo, make sure he has actually covered his eyes," Splinter says, preparing his attack weapons and traps.

**Don: That's when it happened. Leonardo, the skilled, the nimble, the great Ninja Warrior-- stepped on Mikey's carelessly left in the open mini race car and...**

(WHOOP--BAM--OW--blackout and "flashes")

"Leonardo! Leonardo, my son! Can you hear me?"

"Wow... look at the pretty colors..."

"Leo! Snap out of it!" Don says, waving some smelling salts from the first aid kit under his brother's nose.

cough-cough-gag-cough

"I'm--cough cough-- okay," he manages, and tries to get up off the floor-- only to cry out in pain and sink back down. "Oh, man! I think my back hurts worse than my head!"

**Don: We carefully checked him for broken bones, and then just as carefully got him to his room and put him to bed. We called April and Casey, and they came over to give us their expert opinions.**

**Raph: And to baby-sit Fearless Leader-- Sensei knew Leo was going to have to stay in bed, and he knew from experience that he would need help keeping Leo in bed.**

"I agree with you, Master Splinter. I think he has a concussion," April says, closing the first aid book. "Did he lose consciousness?"

"Not completely, but he was confused for a few minutes," Splinter replies.

April nods, then looks at Leo.

"You need to stay in bed and rest, Leo. For the first twenty-four hours we'll need to watch for any abnormal signs, and we have to make sure he doesn't sleep for long-- every two the three hours we make him wake up to be sure his head injury isn't more serious. Only water to drink, and light food, like soup. No strenuous activities, either.

"I think you've strained some muscles in your back from the fall, Leo," Casey says, straightening up from examining Leo's back. "Your shell is intact, and you can move your legs, right? No numbness? Yep, probably muscle damage. Fortunately, you're young, so this won't be a problem when you've healed up. If you were older, it might cause trouble with your training, but I know some things we can do to help you heal faster. But it's definitely bed rest for the next forty-eight hours, dude. In a little while we'll try a heat pack and a cold pack to see which you find helps the pain the most, then in a few days we'll start your strengthening exercises. But you're definitely bed bound for the next two days."

**Raph: Man, Leo looked upset. Nothing bugs him more than not doing anything. **

"I can't spend time in bed! Sensei needs me! I've got things to do!"

"My son, you must help me by getting better," Splinter comforts him. "The quickest way is to stay in bed."

"But Master Splinter, what about---"

"It is all right, my son. After all, Raphael and Donatello are here."

"Hey! I'm here, too, Sensei!" Mikey protests.

Splinter turns to face this careless turtle.

"Michelangelo, Leonardo is in bed because of whom?"

"But that's not fair! I didn't do it on purpose!"

**Mikey: Well, I didn't!**

"No, you did it on careless," Splinter says sternly. "You are a Battle Nexus Champion-- as you like to continually remind us. You are extremely skilled in your training and in actual battle. But you are careless."

**Don: Mikey couldn't say much to that.**

"That is why," Splinter continues, "you will be the first to take over Leonardo's responsibilities."

Mikey's frown suddenly vanishes; he grins as the implication sinks into his brain.

"Hey! Does that mean I get to be the-- the-- Leader?"

"Boy, he went from zero to sixty in two point five seconds," Raph observes to Don.

Splinter looks at his other two sons.

"You will all be taking turns assuming Leonardo's responsibilities. Perhaps this accident is a blessing in disguise. You are all skilled warriors who have proven yourselves individually and as a team time and again. In battle you have all shown leadership abilities. Yet I realize that I have never varied your responsibilities to this family. Yes, this will be an excellent opportunity for you to participate in the other responsibilities of leadership, indeed, to experience how the 'other half lives' so to speak."

"And who's other half am I getting to experience?" Leo grumbles, mortified at the prospect of bed rest for the next few days.

Master Splinter smiles.

"Whoever is in your place that day. For today, you will experience the life of Michelangelo. I gather that will involve eating, playing video games, and reading comic books."

"And being annoying," Raph grins.

"And making bonehead mistakes," Don adds.

"And getting into trouble," Raph continues.

"And talking way too much," Don nods.

"Yeah, definitely that one," Raph says, "and--"

"Yes, thank-you, my sons, I believe Leonardo gets the idea," Splinter intervenes.

**Don: All of this sarcasm was wasted on Mikey, however.**

**Raph: What sarcasm? All that was the truth!**

"This is going to be a piece of cake," Mikey says, beaming at the prospect of being leader. "Okay, guys, let's get started. First, you need to clean my room, then-- ow! Hey! You're not allowed to hit the Leader in the head, Raph!"

"Let us begin, as you say," Splinter says, smiling wickedly. "Raphael and Donatello, you have your chores to do. Michelangelo, Leonardo's first responsibility is to clean and put away the weapons and training equipment."

**Raph: The look on Mike's face was priceless.**

"Aww..."

"You know, this might not be so bad after all," Leo says quietly, smiling at April and Casey. "Wish I could see what's going to happen."

_Well? I plan on adding to this in a day or two. Hope you enjoyed it so far. Thanks for taking the time!_


	2. Chapter 2

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Hi! Me again! Thanks for the reviews and the helpful comments-- they are TRULY appreciated! Oh, TMNT, Master Splinter, Casey, April, the lair, the tunnels and sewers, and pretty much a good chunk MA are owned by Mirage Publishing-- wish they owned ME...sigh...

"Well, let us get to work," Splinter says again, and he escorts the three brothers out of the room, while April and Casey prepare to make Leo more comfortable and start helping him recover.

"Man, what a lot of stuff to deal with!" Mikey complains two hours later. He is just getting the last of the training equipment stored-- rather messily-- into the small chamber, when Splinter shows up to see his work.

"Very well, my son," he approves, looking around-- then he spies one item left out. He picks it up. "We must not forget this."

He opens the door--

Michelangelo digs him out of the avalanche of equipment.

"I know, I know-- I'm getting right on it, Sensei," he says in response to the stern look of his Master.

"Then the entire amount buried Master Splinter!" Don tells Leo a little later. "It was great! He's still at it."

"Still, I should go help," Leo worries, trying to get up. "You know it's not really fair, Mikey's never had to put it all away before by himself-- ow!"

The ow comes from the combined effects of his head, his back, and April pushing him back down.

"Try to get up again, Leo, and I will tie you to the bed," she warns him, then places a nice, cool compress on his aching head.

**Mikey: Man, it took forever, but I finally got everything neatly stored away.**

"Whew! At last! And now, for some downtime!" and he heads for the video games-- and is intercepted by Master Splinter.

"Good, now you need to check the outer perimeter wards, my son," he says, handing him the map, "while I will inspect the inner perimeter ones. Since you've rarely gone with Leonardo to do this, I have marked the locations and order in which to travel in red on this map. It would be a great disaster to this entire family if you were to lose this somewhere in the tunnels, my son."

"Yes, Sensei," Mikey sighs.

**Raph: Halfway through the "inspection", Mikey decided that nothing was wrong with the rest of them. **

"After all, Leo is hardly gone when he checks them-- I'm sure they are still working well, and I can't believe he checks them all."

After a pause:

"Knowing Leo, he does. I'll jump ahead and check every other one!"

**Don: He did this, and made it home just in time for his favorite show-- one of the many, that is.**

"And I didn't lose the map!" he chuckles, handing it to Don since Master Splinter isn't back yet.

**Don: Just as he'd settled down on the couch, remote in hand--- The inner perimeter alarm went off.**

**Raph: Everyone came running-- except Leo, who had to be physically restrained by Casey from getting out of the bed, in spite of his back.**

"Come on, Casey! It's an emergency!"

"Gee, and there are only three Ninja Turtles and Master Splinter to handle it!"

"You know, Casey, sarcasm doesn't suit you."

Don has it up on screen at once.

"Outer perimeter didn't catch this!" he worries to Raph. "This signal is from the ward just near our main entrance! And Master Splinter isn't back yet."

"Let's get out there!" Raph says, but Mikey cut him off.

"Excuse me, bro, but I believe **I'm** in charge at the moment," he snootily reminds them.

"Well, 'leader', what should we do?" Raph sarcastically asks.

"Grab your weapons and let's get out there!"

"Count to ten, Raph," Don advises.

"Won't help-- it'll just make me want to hit him all the harder."

**Raph: We decided to follow Mikey-- if he wanted to lead, we were going to let him lead. Naturally, we stood back and watched as Mikey was jumped by Master Splinter.**

**Don: Mikey did well, but not well enough-- the scream was funny.**

**Mike: Aww, guys, come on! How was it fair? Didn't Master Splinter ever hear the one about the boy who cried "wolf"?**

"So, you checked all the outer perimeters, my son?"

"Well-- that is--"

"Donatello, give me the map. Go to this one," he points out. "I think the wiring has come lose. Raphael, I would appreciate a cup of green tea. Michelangelo, come with me. You still have a few more of Leonardo's chores to perform."

"It was pretty," Raph tells Leo later, as he lay on his stomach, a heat pack burning into his shell.

"Too bad for Mikey-- it's really not fair--" Leo begins, starting to move, only to be shoved down again by Casey.

"Leo, you said the heat pack works for the pain. So stop squirming and let it work!"

Leo looks at Raph and sighs.

"April and Casey are killing me," he whispers. "You've got to save me!"

"Nothing doing, bro. You've only been in bed since after breakfast," Raph grins. "You're not ready to get up, and you know it."

"Man! I thought you were my brother," he frowns, and a few minutes later he is asleep in spite of his determination to stay awake.

**Don: The rest of Mike's tenure as Leo's replacement went no worse than expected. By the time he finally was allowed to go to bed, he was wishing he'd never left that stupid car in the way.**

"I wish I'd never even seen that thing," he mutters just before he falls asleep.

**Raph: Meanwhile, Leo, noticing that Casey and April were gone, and that it appeared everyone was in bed, thought he saw his chance to make sure things were going well without him.**

In the middle of the night Leo wakes up to find his prison guards all gone. He painfully gets up and slowly goes down to check on what Mikey had been supposed to do.

"First, the training equipment," he says to himself.

He starts to open the door, pauses as he remembers what happened to Master Splinter, stands back, and throws the door open, jumping out of the way-- and making his back and head hurt.

He manages to look in the storage closet without being killed by anything falling out.

"Well-- it certainly isn't neat, but it is organized. Now for the perimeter alarms," he says, making his way as stealthily as his back will allow him towards the his freedom.

Unfortunately for him, April is outside the door leading out of the Lair, preparing to come in with some late-night supplies.

"Sleepwalking, Leo?"

"Aww, come on, April! Aside from a headache I'm fine."

"Really? How many fingers am I holding up?" she replies, pointing in the direction of his room.

He sighs and painfully begins to make his way back to his room, mumbling about not being a baby-- and hates the fact that halfway there he has a dizzy spell and nearly collapses, only to be caught by Casey, who's coming out of the kitchen with some coffee for himself as well as another heat pack ready for Leo, just in case he needs it.

"Whoops!" Casey says, nearly spilling the coffee as he keeps Leo from falling to the floor. "Sorry, April, my fault. I thought he was asleep."

"No problem," she replies, putting down the supplies to take the coffee and heat pack from him so he can---

"Carry me?" Leo's shout can be heard all over the lair. "I'm not a baby! I can walk!"

"Yeah, you can walk-- slow, like a turtle," Casey smirks, and then laughs at his own joke. "That's why you nearly fell. Tell you what, I'll let you walk, but I'll be holding you up. But get out of bed again, and I will carry you-- right into Master Splinter's room!"

"Okay," he sighs, feeling the pain even more as Casey allows him back on his feet. Judging from the weakness of his legs and the pain in his back, he realizes that he needs Casey's and April's help getting back to his room and back to bed.

_But I'm definitely getting out of here tomorrow_, he vows to himself._ They can't watch me all the time! After all, I'm a ninja!_


	3. Chapter 3

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I need to thank these people for taking the time to offer comments and suggestions, ALL of which are gratefully apprecated: Doppleganger33 (Yes, I agree-- I, personally, think they "goob" Casey up just a tad too much at times), Jessiy Landro, Splinter, Goblin Cat KC (I hope I don't disappoint you with future chapters!), Dory's human replica, and Darktiger2!

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It's probably too soon for this chapter, but I would like to post it so it's out of the way. This is only going to be about seven chapters long-- and I've written myself into a corner with Chapter Six.

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Oh, yeah, TMNT is owed for the rest of eternity by Mirage Publishing those lucky people! So is every character in this story.

**Don: Next morning, Master Splinter lectured Leonardo on staying in bed.**

"My son, you must help me by getting better. And you must get better by staying in bed," he says in conclusion.

"Yes, Sensei," Leo says, planning his next escape.

**Don: Then came both good and bad news.**

"Now, today Donatello will take over the chores of Leonardo," Splinter tells the others, as Casey and April begin Leonardo's daily heat pack treatment and such smothering attention.

"Stand back, gentlemen," Don smiles. "Mikey, take note, and learn a few things about being a leader."

"I give him three hours before he's ready to quit," Mike say to Raph.

**Don: Mike was wrong: I was ready to quit in two hours.**

"But Sensei, what about my work? My research? My projects?"

"What about Leonardo? Do you assume he would not care about his own work, his own research, his own projects?"

"But Leo trains and studies and reads all he wants," Don says, following Splinter through some of the oldest tunnels he's ever seen-- this after a long, long morning of making sure that all the weapons and equipment were cleaned, sharpened, or in otherwise good working condition.

**Don: A task, I might add, that has to be the most mind-numbing, boring chore in the entire history of mind-numbing, boring chores. And it never really occurred to me just exactly how many weapons we have until I had to take care of each and every one of them. And did you know that you're not supposed to wax the handles of wooden bokken?**

"No, my son." Splinter continued, as they moved through these dreary surroundings, "Leonardo would be very happy to spend as much time with his pursuits as you three do with yours, but his responsibilities as leader prevent this. You would all do well to remember this the next time you wish to complain."

**Don: We traveled on, for hours it seemed, examining old structures, determining weaknesses and strengths, planning future escape routes and possible hiding places. This seemed like a waste of time to me. After all...**

"But Sensei, the Foot can't get past our new security system, and neither can Bishop's group," Don complains. "I designed it myself. It's better than state-of-the-art!"

"And if there is a power failure?"

"Simple. We drop back ten and punt."

"I am sensing that you have no interest in leadership."

"Hey, to tell the truth, I've always been fairly happy with the status quo," he says. "Sure, it's cool to think of myself as in charge-- but Sensei, over the past years, we've all had the chance to express and act upon our ideas and suggestions in battle; to be the leaders so to speak. Leo just doesn't order us around, though Raph and Mikey sometimes act that way."

"I understand, my son. But it is not always in those situations you should be able to express and act upon ideas. For example, what we are doing today. You always seem to have planned for any action above ground, for possible battle. Can you not think of any ideas or opinions that would aid us in this goal?"

Don thinks about this.

"Remember, my son-- when the old Lair was destroyed, we were not prepared to move to a new location. We were lucky when I found our current home. Then, when Shredder sent the Foot throughout the sewers, we could not even return to our home, as secure as it was. We were forced to stay with Ms. O'Neal-- to her cost. And now, with Bishop as our enemy, we must be prepared for anything. Remember: you must focus on the possibilities as well as the actual dangers."

"I understand, Sensei. I really do. This place would not be good for long-term use, you know," he says. "These supports are too unstable. If we had to battle our enemy here-- or worse, if Raph and Mike got in a fight-- we'd have the ceiling on our heads in no time."

"I agree. Let us continue, my son."

**Don: Our way back brought us to the same outer perimeter alarm that Mikey had failed to check the day before. Before we got close, I stopped Sensei from moving, telling him we should proceed with caution.**

"Something's not right, Sensei," he says, staring at the area from the shadows. "I fixed that yesterday, but I'm sure I didn't leave it looking like that."

"I do not understand," Splinter says.

"Wait here, Sensei," Don says again, and he carefully approaches the alarm.

"Okay, it's safe," and he makes a close inspection.

"Well, my son?"

"This has been tampered with," he says, pointing to the ground and then the alarm. "Someone has been down here since yesterday. I always smooth out the ground around the alarms-- Leo does as well, and Raph, too. Yet this has been tampered with-- again!"

"What do suggest we do, my son?"

Don thinks.

"Well, it's going to be hard to search every area between here and the Lair, but we have to assume that someone or something is between here and the inner perimeters. We'd better at least check to see if the inner circle is intact."

"I agree, my son. Get your brothers out here at once."

Raph is with Leo when the call comes through.

"Sure-- we're on our way-- you want your handy-turtle kit?"

"What? What? What?" Leo is growing frantic.

"Oh, nothing-- just a little training exercise, that's all," Raph lies, bailing on his brother.

Leo looks around, and carefully gets out of his bed.

"I'm a ninja. Even with a sore back I should be able to get past April and Casey with no problem," he tells himself.

No one on the upper floor. Good. He makes his way to the combination ladder/fire escape-type stairs, and manages to make it to the ground quietly-- well, except for the moan that escapes him when his feet hit the floor as he foolishly jumps down the last few steps.

He freezes at a sound in the kitchen-- April is humming to herself as she rattles post and pans-- good! He fades into the background, making his way for a little-used back exit that can't be heard or seen from the kitchen.

So far, so good! Bad back or not, I'm no match for Casey or April!

His stealthy ways are working, but they are hindered by his back, his headache--and his guards.

"Going somewhere, Leo?" Casey asks, arms crossed and blocking the exit he is trying to use."

April is right behind Leo. He never even heard her coming up behind him!

"Don called and told us he was calling out the guys," she says. "And he said to literally sit on you if we have to."

Leo sags in frustration, pain, and defeat, refusing to look at their smug expressions of triumph.

"Man! Some family this is," he mutters under his breath, as he is once again escorted back to his room and put to bed.

**Don: We find the inner circle intact. Only that one outer alarm has been tampered with, and this puzzles all of us, even Master Splinter.**

"Still, we must be on the alert more than ever," he concludes that night, with Casey and April present-- Leo is asleep after receiving another lecture from Splinter about getting out of bed-- at least, they think he's asleep, but he is listening carefully outside the room.

"Uh, Master Splinter-- you wouldn't be trying another 'surprise attack' on us, would you?" Mikey asks. Before Raph can pop him one, Don beats him to it.

"Mikey, this is no trick," Don reprimands him. "I'm sure of that! Someone or something has been testing the outer barrier."

"Why do you keep saying 'something'?" April asks.

"Because the marks on the floor were-- well-- some looked sort of human-- and some looked sort of-- wormy," Don tries to explain. "Plus, the wires weren't really cut through or pulled out completely-- just-- loosened. But I can't explain how."

"Funny that they're only pulled loose," Raph observes. "You'd think they'd do a better job. And why only that particular point? And why haven't they gotten in further?"

"Who knows?" Don replies. "I am sure that whoever it is, they aren't between the two. I'm putting up another camera before bedtime. I want you to come with me."

"Me, too?" Mike asks, his tone a mixture of hope and dread.

"No, I don't need the extra-- help," Don replies.

**Don: I was going to say "distraction", but it was late, and I didn't want to have to apologize to Mikey. **

**Mikey: Hey!**

"Then it is settled," Splinter says. "Go and take care of these things now. Oh, and Mr. Jones, if it is not too much trouble, put Leonardo back to bed. He has listened long enough, and I do not want him trying to follow Raphael and Donatello."

"Sure thing, Master Splinter."

Leo, busted, doesn't even try to escape. He meekly goes with the amused Casey back to his room. He meekly gets into bed, and meekly allows April and Casey to fuss over him some more. He meekly closes his eyes as if he is going to sleep.

But he doesn't meekly give up.

"I have GOT to be out of bed tomorrow!" Leo vows to himself, after they have turned off the lights and left the room. "They need me!"


	4. Chapter 4

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Hello! Thanks again for the reviews! I will thank everyone properly later-- this one is a bit long. I hope I don't disappoint. Oh, and I'm supposed to tell you the following: TMNT belongs to Mirage, who would NEVER own something like Mew Mew Power, Winx Club, or the soon-to-be unleashed upon us BRATZ! As you can tell, I'm posting this during 4Kids' Sneak Peak Party-- God help me-- so I can catch a glimpse of the coming season of TMNT! Who, did I tell you, are owned solely by Mirage?

Day Three: Early morning, before others are out of bed.

**Mike: Leo's rehab began the third morning, and he didn't seem excited about the program.**

**Don: Of course, he should have been grateful that Master Splinter was allowing this to go on in the first place. During the night, Fearless Leader had finally dodged his guards and escaped the Lair.**

Leo can not believe his luck! He has actually made it out the front door without waking Casey, who is sleeping in his room on a borrowed cot, and April, who is on the sofa.

"And now, to check that alarm and see if anyone's been around," he says to himself, going as quickly as his back allows.

In spite of his injured back, he is able to get to the outer perimeter and the alarm in question in relatively good time. He clicks on the flashlight he's brought with him, keeping it low to the ground in order to check for any signs.

He freezes as the light reveals to him two familiar, furry feet.

Gulp.

"I suppose you have an excellent explanation for being out here, Leonardo."

**Raph: Splinter was angry! He's not the type to yell, but he woke us all up with the lecture he was giving Leo once he was back in bed. But he still allowed Leo up in the morning to begin his rehab, though, as Mikey said, our brother wasn't thrilled at all with what Casey had planned.**

"Now, Leo, this first exercise is very simple but it will help your lower back flexibility." Casey says, after he has made sure Leo has warmed up ten minutes by walking with him around the main room. He lays on the floor to demonstrate. "Knee raises are the best way to start. Lie on your back with your legs extended, and then bring your left knee toward your chest and grasp it. Pull the left knee as close to your chest as the pain lets you, and hold for about 10 to 15 seconds, letting your hamstrings and lower back muscles 'unkink'. Then, return to the starting position and do the same thing with your right leg. Return to the starting position to complete one rep; we'll start with 10 reps, okay?"

"But Casey, that's so-- so-- easy!" Leo complains, balking at doing such a simple exercise. "Besides, my back feels a hundred percent better!" And he stands up straight and walks without wincing. "See?"

"Leo, I may not be a Ninjitsu master, but I know muscle injuries and how to heal them," Casey says. "Now lay down and just let's do this simple easy one first. Ready?"

Leo sighs, slowly lays down on the floor next to Casey, and dutifully performs ten reps, as Casey counts them off.

"Now, while we're down here, let's try some presses to strengthen your lower back. Just lie on your back with your hands behind your head. Then, tighten your stomach muscles, and press the small of your back to the floor-- or whatever counts for the small of your back. I always forget about your shell. Anyway, hold the small of your whatever on the floor for about 12 seconds, return to the starting position, and relax for a few seconds. We'll perform this cycle 12 times, rest for a moment, and then follow up with 12 more 'presses'."

"Casey, come on--"

"Leo, if you would rather do this with April it's fine by me."

Leo sighs and does the presses with Casey. After that cycle is complete, Casey has him stand up.

"Okay, one more-- maybe you'll be more willing to do this one," Casey says, guiding Leo to the wall. "It's called 'Warrior at the Wall', and it's good for lower back strength and flexibility-- two birds with one stone. It even has all that breathing stuff Master Splinter is so fond of."

**Mikey: About this time we were all up to witness Fearless Leader being ordered around by Casey. It was funny!**

**Raph: Not for long, though.**

"First, stand up tall but relaxed with your feet at hip width; your arms should be hanging at your sides, with palms turned toward your legs," Casey directs, demonstrating and having Leo do it at the same time. "Look straight ahead, like this, facing a blank wall-- we should be standing about three feet away. First, as you breathe out, bend forward from your hips and extend your arms forward until your fingertips are touching the wall. No, Leo, not the palms, just the fingertips. You should be standing so your legs are perpendicular to the floor and your arms and upper body are absolutely parallel with the ground. Then, as you breathe in, raise your left leg backward and up until it is parallel with the ground. Hold your left leg up for about eight breaths, and then repeat with the opposite leg. Repeat this several times with each leg."

Leo once again does as he is told, though he is bored with such simple exercises.

"Okay, not bad for the first official day out of bed. How's the pain? You look like you're moving okay, but be honest, how's the pain?"

"It's fine, I keep telling you both it doesn't hurt anymore," Leo lies.

Casey looks at him as if he doesn't believe him, but decides not to push the point.

"Okay. We'll stop for now. You can sit up for a while on the couch. Too much bed rest is bad for your back."

"But don't think this means you can start moving around a lot just because you've done a few exercises," April kicks in her two cents worth. "You still need to watch that head injury."

**Don: So Leo went and sat on the couch like a good little turtle-- but he kept his eye on April and Casey, and the rest of us. We had just gone into breakfast, when Leo thought he saw his chance.**

"Now, to check the perimeters, and see if Don's mysterious 'someone or something' has been around."

He makes it to the door without drawing any attention to himself, until--

"Leonardo, I don't think this is sitting on the couch," April sternly says behind him, just before he can leave. She is bringing him his breakfast (much faster than he had expected, judging from the look on his face), and Master Splinter is with her, looking at his son with stern disapproval. "Perhaps you should stay in your room, after all. Maybe I need to ground you!"

"April, I don't even have a headache any more," Leo argues. "It's fine-- I'm fine! Two days in bed and I feel like great! Honestly!"

"Leonardo, I am sure you **feel** better but--" Master Splinter begins, but Leo cuts him off.

"Sensei, I'm fine, really! I feel like a new turtle! Watch this," he tells Sensei and April, as Casey and the guys join them...

**Raph: Yeah, he sure felt like a new turtle. For approximately twenty seconds.**

... and he does three kicks, a twisting double punch jump, a front flip and a backflip-- and lands on the toy car on the floor that he doesn't see--

"Leo! Leo, can you hear me?" April says.

"Wow! When did Don put all those shiny stars on the ceiling?"

**Mike: Well, I thought I'd picked it up.**

"Leonardo, you are sorely trying my patience!" Splinter later lectures him yet again, once his head clears and he is coherent. "Mr. Jones and Ms. O'Neal have been of enormous help to me because they bring practical advice and experience to help heal you, and yet you insist on trying to prove to everyone that you are indispensable."

"But Sensei, that's not what I meant to-- I mean, sure I don't like sitting idle, but not because I think-- I mean-- sigh-- man..."

"You will do as they say. You will do as I say. You will stop hindering all of us. You will stay in bed!"

"Yes, Master Splinter."

"Okay, rest, Leo," April says as she darkens the room. "You are going to lay quietly with cold compresses, soft music-- and an armed guard".

And the last thing he sees before he closes his eyes is Casey sitting next to the door, arms folded, smiling at him.

"Man..." he mumbles, and goes to sleep.

**Raph: Today was finally my day! This was gonna be great!**

"Now, boys, it's time to follow the Leader!" Raph rubs his hands with glee. "Training run time!"

**Raph: Of course, in my excitement, I forgot that Master Splinter had other plans.**

"Not quite yet, Raphael," Splinter says, following us from Leo's room. "First you and I must inventory the supplies, inspect the upper levels, and then meditate."

"Meditate? But Sensei, when is meditation a chore?"

"When I have to force you all to do it," Splinter remarks. "But since you must know, Leonardo has been learning the art of astral projection -- it is an important skill for a leader. But, if you find this beyond your abilities--"

"No, Sensei! I just-- I know that I won't be able to do it like Leo, but I will do my best," he actually says, as if surrendering.

"That is all I want from any of you, my son. Donatello, Michelangelo-- you need to do your chores, and then help April and Casey keep an eye on your brother until practice time. He is being willful, and it is setting back his healing."

"Yes, Sensei," they answer in chorus.

"Oh, and Michelangelo-- throw that toy car away before **I** throw it away, along with some other of your most prized possessions."

"I've already recycled it, Sensei," Michelangelo says, telling him how he left it topside where this kid has already found it.

"Good. You are learning well, my son."

**Raph: Inventory wasn't so bad, though a bit tedious. I mean, Don may think caring for the weapons is a mind-numbing job, but counting supplies comes close. Still, I managed to get it done without losing count more that three times.**

"How did we end up with so many boxes of this stuff?" Raph wonders aloud, looking at the umpteenth picture of the toucan on the cereal box. As far as he knows, no one eats it. Except...

**Mike: Um-- for emergencies? Like if there's an earthquake and we can't get supplies...**

**Raph: And inspecting the upper levels for signs of intrusion or recent use by others wasn't such a chore, either, especially as I sometimes go with Leo when he's doing this. I have to admit, however, I'd hate to have to do this on a regular basis. And on top of it all, we still have training, so I'm finally seeing that Leo has less time to himself than the rest of us do. I mean, I knew it, but I didn't really KNOW it.**

On their return, Raph decides that they should check the particular alarm that someone has been tampering with. This time it looks as if it is still in working order. Yet something is bothering Raph.

"What is it, my son?" Splinter questions.

"I dunno, Sensei," he replies, looking around, down the tunnel in both directions. "It's just that this alarm isn't exactly located in a spot for easy access."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, see, there's no direct entrance nearby. I mean, to get to this one, you pretty much have to pass at least seven others, and those would have gone off. So why is this one the only one being messed with?"

Raph looks down the tunnel again, thinking.

"The only way to get to it without passing the other alarms is to come from Leatherhead's place, and since Don also alarmed up his area-- it just don't make sense, Sensei."

"You have observed a very important point," Splinter nods his approval. "Not only must we discover who is attempting to tamper with the alarm, but how they got here. Perhaps your brother's camera has found something?

Raph calls Don on his phone.

"Hey, Don, has your extra camera picked up anyone around here yet?"

"Nope-- other than a really sweet yet silent encounter between Master Splinter and Leo," he replies, as he and Mike replay that part over and over, laughing heartily at the look on Leo's face when he sees his Master's feet.

**Raph: So, besides wondering how someone could be doing this, checking that kind of stuff really wasn't much of a problem. **

**But the meditation...**

"My son, the art of Astral Projection is not to be undertaken lightly," Splinter says. "Remember what I have already taught you."

**Raph: He ran the lesson as if I were Leo, not me. I had to finally remind him of this.**

"My apologies, my son. I forgot that this is your first time with this sort of activity. Very well, we begin with a basic meditation, concentrating on our breathing. After ten minutes, I will make the attempt to project a thought to you, and wait for a response. It is like having a conversation in our minds."

"How did Mikey do with this?"

Hesitation, then:

"I decided that you and Donatello would be more temperamentally suited to this particular 'chore'."

**Raph: So, for several minutes I meditated-- on racing across the roof tops with my brothers and Casey; perhaps running into a few handy Foot ninja just begging to have the shell kicked out of them! Or some long-over due payback to ol' Hun! That would be so sweet--"**

Focus!

The sharp command in his head startled him so much he mentally turned around, and found himself floating away-- it felt like-- at a high speed. He felt as if trapped in rushing water, headed straight for a whirlpool, and he struggled mightily to reach the shore-- and he went down the middle of the whirlpool-- and Leo and Splinter were both lying at the bottom, injured or worse, and standing over them was--

"Raphael! Raphael!" Splinter slaps him hard to rouse him.

Raph finds himself lying on the floor, feeling as if he's been in a battle and lost.

The vision comes back to him sharply, and he bolts into a sitting position, alarmed.

"Shredder! Sensei, Shredder is back! He's alive! He's going to attack you and Leo! We gotta do something!"

"Raphael, my son, calm down," Splinter soothes him, and Raph finally gets himself under control. "My son, tell me what you saw."

So Raph, shaking from what he's seen, explains what he's experienced, and Splinter listens closely.

Then he thinks about what his son has gone through.

"We know that the return of Shredder is impossible," he finally says. "I believe that your vision is not literal, but a warning of some type-- warning, perhaps, of a potential enemy who could become as dangerous as Shredder was. I do not believe you had a literal vision, my son. It is all right. Do not worry about it. We can consider it later. Do not worry. Let us take a few minutes to calm our spirits."

And he carefully monitors Raph's calming meditation, then dismisses him and goes to check on Leonardo.

"Everything is going smoothly, Master Splinter," April cheerfully informs him. Leo is lying on his stomach as Casey is removing the latest heat pack and helping him turn over. "I think he's finally realized that we mean business. He's been very cooperative."

"Good. But I would be on extra alert. When he is **most** compliant, he is usually thinking of a way to escape."

"Aww, Sensei, I'm not going to cause any more trouble," he sighs.

"I guarantee it, my son. Otherwise, I may have to resort to a most severe discipline for you. You know of what I speak." And his eyes stray to the place where Leo's katanas are resting.

Leo, following his father's gaze with his own, pales noticeably, then sighs again, looking duly chastised.

"Sensei, I promise."

Splinter nods.

"Very well, my son."

Raph, Don, and Mike join them during this time and smile at their submissive brother sympathetically.

"Don't worry, Leo, you'll be up and around in no time," Raph says. "You should make the most of this down time."

"Easy advice from someone who's planning a training run," Leo grumbles.

"Speaking of, may we go on the training run now, Sensei?" Raph asks politely.

"Yes, my son, you all have done well. Have a good run. But Raphael-- be cautious! I am, I admit, vaguely concerned about that vision you had today."

Raph is about to say "No sweat, Sensei" but bites it back, bows, and promises they will be extra careful.

They head out, the echo of Leo's voice following them:

"Vision? What vision? What's going on? What vision?"

"Leonardo!" they hear three irate voices shout in unison. "Get back in bed!"


	5. Chapter 5

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This one is short. I worked through my problems and through the night and morning, and I'm going to post both chapters and be done with it. Sorry-- I was going to try to take my time, but I got working and couldn't stop. TMNT are owned by Mirage, the greatest company in the world and I wish I could work for them.

"Dude, what's with all that bowing and agreeing with Sensei?" Mikey asks as they hit topside. "Is it an act, or are you turning 'Leonardo' on us?"

"Knock it off, Mikey," Raph growls, not wanting to admit that the vision he's experienced has spooked him more than he's let on.

**Raph: For the next two hours we are across the roof tops, having fun in the name of training. We even drop in on a few old friends and have a nice time.**

"Cool! Purple Dragons!" Mikey crows, as they look down into an alley where some gang members are about to attack some careless soul that has made a wrong turn.

They land, weapons ready, right between the frightened victim and the Dragons.

"Hey, guys! How you been?" Raph chuckles grimly.

"We sure have missed seeing you around," Don smiles, taking out the nearest one who has pulled a gun. "Bo staff one, gun zero!"

**Raph: Yeah, it was a pretty fight! They scattered as soon as they were able, leaving the wounded behind. The victim scattered as well, but it's not like we expected any gratitude.**

"You're welcome!" Mikey calls after the running victim.

**Don: And we almost get a chance to mix it up with the Foot, but they're under strict orders to leave us alone.**

"Is this our lucky night or what?" Raph gloats, as they see a small group of Foot Ninja preparing to enter a rooftop door.

Without a warning, they are among the Foot like a cat among the birdies-- and like the birdies, the Foot scatter!

"Darn that Karai! Why did she have to promise Leo that truce?" Raph grumbles to Don as their hoped for fight vanishes quickly into the night.

**Raph: But despite the fun we're having, I can't forget that vision.**

They reach the top of an old water tower, and take five.

"Dude, you seem off," Mikey observes. "Somthing bugging you?"

"Besides you?" Raph tries to joke, but he is still bothered. Don and Mikey exchange looks. Don looks at Raph again.

"Raph, what was the vision Master Splinter mentioned?" Don asks, as they sit in the moonlight.

Raph is hesitant, then decides to tell them.

"But it can't be! He's finished! He's gone!" Mikey reminds him. "We all saw it! We were there! There's no way he can come back!"

"You don't have to tell me that," Raph says, still disturbed. "But that's what I saw-- that's who I saw-- standing over Sensei and Leo."

Mikey shivers.

"Do you think maybe the Foot are going to start something again?" Mike wonders. "Maybe they found a way to get him off that asteroid! Maybe Chaplin built them another rocket, and they--"

"That's impossible, Mikey," Don assured him. "There's no way Karai would be able to pull that one off again. And how would she find him?"

"Maybe they've **cloned** him!" Mikey continues, sure of his theory. "I mean, they've done some weird stuff! It could happen! Remember those three clones we fought? Maybe they finally got it right!"

"Master Splinter doesn't think it's a literal vision," Raph tries to explain. "He thinks it's a type of warning-- that a danger comparable to our old enemy is on the horizon. He doesn't think it's Shredder-- or his clone."

"Bishop?" Don asks. But Raph shakes his head.

"Why would I see a vision of Shredder if it's Bishop?" he replies. "I wondered that myself, but it doesn't make sense. Naw, this has to be something tied to Shredder-- somehow."

Mikey is nervously looking around, as if he's being watched.

"Maybe we shouldn't be out here, guys. Maybe we should be back at the Lair-- you know, just in case," and despite Mikey's skills, they can hear a note of fear in his voice.

"Calm down, Mikey," Raph says in a surprisingly soothing tone. "Calm down, it'll be okay."

"Still, I'm thinking Mikey's right," Don says slowly. "And coming on top of that alarm that keeps being tampered with--suddenly **I** feel the need to be back home."

"Me, too! It's freaking me out-- it's like that crystal dream I had," Mike says, shivering.

Raph considers.

"Well, then it's unanimous," he agrees, and they make their way back to the Lair.

Which is empty.

**Mike: We knew before we entered that something wasn't right.**

The first impulse is to shout-- but Raph quiets Mikey, and motions them to spread out, silently, in the dark. After a few minutes they determine the first floor is empty. They meet up.

"Well?" Don says.

"It could be something simple, like they've gone out for pizza or something," Raph whispers, for once not charging in and causing trouble.

"Or, someone could have snatched them-- except there's no sign of a struggle. Or--this could be another Master Splinter trick."

"Process of elimination," Don says. "Pizza is out-- not with Leo unable to get out of bed and no one to watch him."

"Lack of a struggle doesn't mean anything," Mikey adds. "It is possible they could have been overpowered quickly. Assuming, of course, they could actually gain access."

"It'd be like Sensei to try this as a test-- but let's keep an open mind," Raph concludes. "Don, see if you can pick up anyone's shell cell signal, just in case April is carrying hers-- if it's a Splinter trick, he'll have left his in his room."

Don picks up two signals in Leo's room and one in the garage.

"But that could mean anything," he needlessly points out. "After all, I keep a spare up in the garage. And Leo's is in his room probably."

"Then let's go up **as if** this is the real deal, but be ready in case it really **is**," Raph says, and that makes sense to the other two.

They take three different ways to the second floor, carefully scoping out their own rooms and the bathroom as they go. They meet up at Leo's door.

It's open and they can see the lights are out. They hear music-- Leo's player is on-- and they see a vague outline in his bed-- but nothing else.

Raph motions to Mikey to enter low-- Mike is the best at sneaking around in the dark, and they are not ashamed to admit it.

"Why are you sneaking around in here, Mikey?" Leo asks sleepily.

They enter, turning on the lights.

"Where is everyone?" Raph asks. Leo looks around.

"No idea-- I've been asleep."

"Great. You didn't hear anything strange?"

"You mean stranger than Casey and April talking all lovey-dovey and smooching?"

"Eww-- seriously, why would they leave you here alone?" And Raph tells him briefly what's going on.

Leo listens carefully, and thinks about the implications.

"Want some advice?"

"Yes."

"Check the garage. If Sensei is testing you, that would be the next place he'd expect you to look. If the Battle Shell is gone, then perhaps they meant it when they said they were going out for ice cream." And he closes his eyes.

"I don't believe they'd leave you alone, though," Raph says seriously. "Not the way they've been fussing around you."

He opens his eyes again. Now he looks worried-- but then he painfully shakes his head-- finally admitting that he can't be of help.

"I don't know. I didn't hear anything. That last fall really knocked a chunk out of my will to get out of bed."

Raph puts a sympathetic hand on his brother.

"Mikey, stay with Leo," Raph says, and he and Don leave the room.

"Thanks, what did I do to you?" Leo sleepily calls after Raph.

"Hey!"

But Leo has gone back to sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

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The REAL Cheese Monkey (LOL!), Jessiy Landroz (Yes, Mikey should!), Somellamafreak (Yes, L.H. was raised by the Utroms but they accidently left him behind at the end of "Secret Origins"), Buslady (WHO came up with the NAME of my "villain"-- we fooled around with the spelling!-- Many thanks, B.L.!), Lunar-ninja (who pointed out that I blew Shredder's Utrom name by a vowel-- sigh-- LOL! I remember at Mikey's how everyone kept coming up with their own way of spelling it! Ch'rell, not "Ch'rall"-- anyway, I've fixed it so there!), Doll Girl (thanks!), Donny's Girl (also thanks!), Darktiger2 (and more thanks!), Dory's human replica (ditto more thanks!), Goblin Cat KC (ditto ditto thanks!), Splinter (many many ditto thanks!), Doppleganger33 (sincere ditto!). Hope I didn't miss anyone!

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Oh, yeah, TMNT, Casey, April, Splinter, and everyone else in this story are owned by Mirage Publishing the lucky dogs! I've added this part since posting the story because I felt that I needed to thank people!

**Raph: Now, before we decide to go charging up to the garage, Don and I go check his computer, to see if the cameras have picked up anything that'll help us.**

"Everything here looks normal," he says, as they scan the various activities that have been recorded since they left. "No intruders, no fighting-- just Master Splinter leaving the Lair by the front door-- Casey and April heading to the garage in the elevator. Too bad I can't get sound with this set up-- they look like they're in a hurry, but not like they're in danger."

"What about the one by the perimeter?" Raph asks. "I know that when we looked earlier, we didn't see nothing, but... I mean, an alarm must of went off, since Splinter left the place."

**Don: Sure enough, we saw something-- something that happened about the time we left.**

"Is that an--?" Don gasps.

"That's an Utrom!" Raph shouts at the same time.

And they watch as a scrawny looking Utrom, without the usual hover car that they ride around in, much less an exoskeleton, slowly and with great difficulty tries to work the wires loose-- and freezes as it hears something. Then they see Master Splinter enter the picture. Then the picture is suddenly dark, as if the camera has been destroyed.

"This is not good," Don needlessly says, as he and Raph head out the front door at top speed.

**Raph: So, instead of the garage, we head out to where this took place, and sure enough, we find footprints-- human, Utrom,-- and crocodile.**

"Leatherhead must have caught our little visitor," Don suggests, looking at the tracks-- and the damage. "I'm guessing that the little fellow wasn't alone, judging from the wreckage." His perimeter beacon is smashed, as is his camera, and the walls appear to be freshly cracked. The floor is a jumbled mess of footprints of all types-- now Raph makes out one or two prints that can only belong to Master Splinter.

"That's good news, then-- it means Sensei is still mobile," Don breathes a sigh of relief.

"Man, if that Utrom had help, why didn't they just take out the entire warning system the first time?" Raph wonders, as they try to follow the trail left by Splinter, Leatherhead and whomever else was either with them, chasing them, or being chased by them.

**Don: The tracks led us first through Leatherhead's place, then back the long way to the Lair-- and gave out. We had no way of knowing which way they went-- back into the Lair, out of the sewers by one of the other tunnels, or vanished into thin air.**

"Well, the only place left to look is the garage," Don says, as they prepare to enter their home and make their way to the elevator.

But suddenly Raph grins, and holds Don back. They make eye contact, and Don is able to tell that Raph has found something. Wordlessly he does what Raph wants.

"Yeah, Don, let's go up to the garage," Raph is trying to sound normal, but Don can hear the excitement in his voice.

Raph acts as if he's going to let Don through the door first-- then suddenly jumps backwards towards a dark corner, and Don is treated to a bunch of yells, sounds of punching, and a few curse words.

Raph emerges from the shadows holding a scrawny Utrom-- the same one they'd seen on the tape!

"Let go of me!" it keeps squeaking, trying to bite Raph as it twisted desperately in Raph's hands, though it must have hurt it's tentacles. "Let me go! How dare you put your unworthy hands on me!"

"Shaddup or I'll smack you into the wall," Raph says calmly, trying not to laugh.

"What are you doing here?" Don questions the little thing, but he responds with a lot of curses and insults.

"I told you to shaddup!" Raph says, smacking the Utrom into the wall a few times like he's swinging a bag of something gooey.

"We will crush you for your treatment of us!" the Utrom gasps between blows, and Don joins Raph in laughing. Then they enter the Lair, and Don grabs his duffle bag, dumping the contents hastily from it, so Raph can put their prisoner inside. By now his complaints and threats are hardly audible.

"Now, let's scope out the garage," Raph says, and they enter the elevator.

In the garage it's dark. The Battle Shell is there-- yet something is odd.

Don signals Raph, and motions to his tracker. Someone is inside the vehicle.

They get close, nod, and enter the vehicle, ready for trouble.

They find Casey, Splinter, April and Leatherhead waiting.

And someone else-- a Guardian!

"Everyone okay?" Raph asks, refraining from his first impulse to be angry.

"Yes, my son-- and well done," Splinter says. "But do not mistake this. It was not a trick. We were visited by an enemy-- though not in the Lair. It was farther out, near the perimeter alarm that has been thrice damaged."

"Yeah, we saw what had happened," Raph says, still calm, though he so desperately wants to shout out in anger as well as in joy. "We saw on the tape an Utrom messing with the alarm. I guess that explains why you're here." And he looks at the Guardian.

Splinter gestures towards the unexpected guest.

"Yes. Fortunately, this Guardian was also following these enemies, and they have been captured, thanks to the timely intervention of Leatherhead, and returned to the Utrom home world."

"Maybe not all of them," Raph smiles, as Don unceremoniously dumps his bag in front of the Guardian.

"You will all pay for your treatment of the great Ch'rell!" His voice sounded like a badly done cartoon character. "I, his loyal follower Jr'Kof, swear vengeance on all of the enemies of the great One! How dare any of you think that you will escape the doom that is yours!"

He glares menacingly at the assembled group-- who promptly burst out into the loudest laughter possible. April and Casey are leaning against each other, Don and Raph are nearly doubled over, and even Splinter has a few laugh tears running down his face.

The Guardian, too, smiles as he listens with the rest of them to the vain threats of this squeaky-voiced being. Then, before it can escape, he roughly grabs it and shoves it back into Don's bag, zipping it up tightly.

"We came up here so the Guardians could rendezvous before they return to the Utrom home world," Splinter continues his brief story, as if they have not interrupted with a captive Utrom. "I am sorry if we frightened you, but I did not think it safe to leave a note."

"No problem, Sensei," Raph says, "though it did surprise us that you left Leo alone."

"He was well-guarded-- one of the Guardians kept watch, and I imagine left as soon as you three returned-- and I knew you would leave someone responsible with him."

"Uh, Sensei, you **do** realize we left Mikey with him, right?" Don asks.

"Michelangelo will take care of Leonardo."

"So, are we gonna hear more about this?" Raph wants to know.

"Yes, I will gladly explain everything. But first, would it be an imposition if I were to first visit with Leonardo?" the Guardian asks politely.

"We would be most honored, noble Guardian," Splinter bows.

**Mike: Back in the lair, Leo woke up long enough to have a chat with the Guardian. We had decided to meet in Leo's room to tell the story so he wouldn't feel left out, but Leo actually fell asleep before they really got started.**

**Don: And then got mad at us because he missed the story. Like we had anything to do with it...**

**Raph: Well, be fair Don-- it was probably 1/3 of our fault that he was so messed up.**

**Mikey: Yeah, Don it was probably... HEY!**

"We have been monitoring the activities of this small group on the Utrom homeworld," the Guardian explains, as they all sit on the floor in Leo's room. "Ever since the exile of the Shredder, a small but vocal group of followers have been making themselves known. The leaders didn't feel that they were much of a real threat, but we were keeping an eye on them anyway. Then, we discovered that a few of the more-- shall we say, 'enthusiastic but not quite bright' members," and here he nudged the dufflebag with a booted foot, "had managed to get hold of a transmat machine, and made their way to here with some vague plan for revenge. And they brought one exoskeleton for the five of them. And no hover cars."

**Mikey: Hey! I get it! Jr'kof! Man, I wish--**

**Don and Raph: Mikey!**

Raph looks like he's about to burst out laughing.

"This is what my vision was about? The Five Stooges?"

"No, my son," Splinter says. "Do not dismiss that vision so lightly. I believe that this is merely a coincidental incident. We will discuss your vision later. I am still amazed, noble Guardian, that these five, as inept as they are, managed to find their way to us."

"Unfortunately, their being here may have been my fault," Leatherhead explains, shamefaced. "I was trying once again to contact the Utrom homeworld, and I believe that my signal acted as a landing beacon for them."

"But where have they been hiding all this time?" Don asks, and Leatherhead sighs.

"As I said, this may have been my fault. I was so happy to see Utroms that I had extended them my hospitality. But I had no idea what they were planning. Usually they were helping me with my work on my own transmat. Once I noticed that the one with the exoskeleton had went out into the tunnels, and I went to find him, concerned that he might become lost. I'd found him halfway down the tunnel between my place and yours, but I still didn't know they had planned anything."

"That is not your fault, Leatherhead," Splinter comforts him. "None of it is your fault, my friend."

"Actually, you have helped us greatly," the Guardian addresses the large mutated Crocodile. "This incident has given the council the proof they need to deal legally with this group.

"Way to go, L.H.!" Mikey cheers, causing Leo to stir in his sleep-- but he settles back, snoring softly.

"And, my friend," the Guardian smiles warmly, reaching into his long coat, "Mr. Mortu has felt great guilt in leaving you behind-- purely unintentional, he hopes you understand. He says that if we are to find you, to bring you with us. If, that is, you wish to go."

And withdrawing his hand, he gives to Leatherhead a small device.

"And if you are not prepared to come with us now, this is something that will help you, should you choose to come to the Utrom home world at a later date," he says, and everyone watches as Leatherhead sheds...

**Raph: Don't you DARE say it, Mikey!**

**Mikey: But dude...**

**Don: We mean it, Michelangelo!**

... tears of joy at this most perfect of gifts.

"So, what's it gonna be, L.H.?" Casey asks. "Are you leaving now, or do we have time to plan a farewell party?"

"Or are you staying?" April says, leaning in to hug the big reptile.

"I-- I do not know," he sniffled. "I must think a little longer-- forgive me." And he bows to the Guardian, who returns the bow.

"Well, I must return with this one," he says, rising, and everyone rises to bid him farewell.

**Raph: So we all say good-bye, and the Guardian and his prisoner leave.**

**Don: With my duffle bag-- darn it!**

**Mikey: And we all live happily ever after!**

**Don and Raph: Mikey!**

**Mikey: Uh, well, that is...**

Splinter looks at Raphael.

"My son, you have done well," he says. "You have all done well."

"Thanks, Sensei," they all say, bowing. Then April shoos them out of Leo's room.

**Epilogue**

**Don: Over the next few days Leo does as he's told, and his recovery is what it should be.**

**Raph: Mikey learns how to put the equipment away correctly, and doesn't skip checking each and every perimeter alarm twice over.**

**Mike: Don puts more effort into keeping the weapons in order, and makes notes on possible scenarios for the future. He discusses them regularly with Sensei and Leo.**

**Don: Raph willingly does the inventory and the inspections of the various tunnels when needed-- but he is not eager to take up the projection lesson.**

"I understand, my son," Splinter says kindly. "It is not necessary for you to do so. But it would not hurt you to meditate a little more. You seem calmer these past few days."

"Because Mikey hasn't pushed my buttons yet," he grins.

**Don: With us helping out more, Leo finds more time to study some of the things that have always interested him, but he never seemed able to fit into his day.**

"Hey, Leo, how about a game of 'Follow the Leader' topside? I'll let you be 'leader'," Raph grins, and Leo puts down his book on "Bushido and the Way of the Warrior." He looks at Casey and April.

"What do you think?" he asks.

"Well-- I don't see why not," April says to Casey.

"Just don't overdo it," Casey warns, as he and April prepare to go out with Mike and Don for ice cream.

"Sweet! I am so ready to go out!"

"Raph, don't be too hard on him!" April warns.

"Are you kidding? If he thinks I'm holding back, he'll just do something even more strenuous on purpose," Raph wisely tells them.

**Mike: Leo has learned that he is not indispensable. **

**Raph: Strange to say, it doesn't bother him. He rather enjoyed some of his time in bed.**

"But I'd rather not do that again any time soon," he tells Raph, as they race across the room toward the door and his first training run since his injury.

And as he is running, he fails to see yet another one of Mikey's toys lying on the floor...


End file.
